On the cover: Eric and Jennifer Scheppers (ejschep@cs.com) 3300cc Jabiru powered Sonex, heading home from the 2003 Golden West Fly In. Photos: Pat Panzera By John P Moyle Associate Editor Photos: Pat Panzera Eric Scheppers: Eric and Jennifer Scheppers’ Sonex won the trophy for “Best Plans Built Aircraft” at the 2002 Golden West EAA Fly In, at Marysville, CA. This bright red sport plane could not have been more deserving of that honor. When the Scheppers made the decision to begin building this plane, they had had previous experience Eric and Jennifer Scheppers begin the taxi toward home, at the 2002 Golden West Fly In. building and flying a Challenger II. They knew they wanted their next plane to THE ENGINE be of the side-by-side seating style, so the search began A 2180 c.c., 80hp Type One Volkswagen (based on the for the design which, for the next couple of years, would infamous “bug” engine) was planned to provide the motake most of their time and money for construction. tive force, but by the time they got close to needing the firewall forward parts, their financial circumstances had Like many, the unorthodox appearance of the Sonex improved to the point that they decided to upgrade to the prototype had the Scheppers’ skipping past the early 3300 c.c. Jabiru. The Jabiru is an air cooled, horizontaladvertisements, which declared it to be the “Sport Plane ly opposed, six cylinder engine, which is (along with the Reality Check”. But after eliminating most of the other VW) one of the powerplants approved for installation by available designs on the market for one reason or anoththe Sonex factory. It’s also one which they support with a er, they wound up returning to the unusual profile of the special engine mount and fiberglass cowl, specific to the Sonex. Delving further into the plane’s features, they engine/airframe. The Jabiru engine, as well as the approultimately discovered that this design did meet the highpriate wood prop for this combination (from either est percentage of the criteria they were seeking. In time, Sensenich or Prince), is also available directly from the their previous aversion to Sonex’s unusual top line shape Sonex factory. was overcome and now they have decided it’s actually rather attractive in it’s own right! Admittedly, the big Jabiru is a snug fit under the cowl, but it fits just fine indeed. Eric did some “fun-gineering” in the The original intent included building the plane completely engine compartment, where you’ll find he has recycled from plans, fabricating virtually every part themselves. and converted an empty can of Drano (drain cleaner) The only planned exception to this would be the welded into an air/oil separator! It still wears the Drano colors items, such as the engine mount, which includes the critiproudly, and it never fails to draw a comment or two cal main landing gear socket geometry and accepts the when the cowl is removed. titanium rod gear legs, RV style. All of the welded components, fiberglass details, and the formed acrylic canoThe cowl removal is primarily a matter of sliding a series py were obtained from the factory, but the Scheppers’ of piano hinge pins out. Either side can be removed indedid essentially manufacture the remainder of their own pendently of the other, gaining access to the critical in“kit” which they then assembled, trading their time for the spection and maintenance areas. A “Leatherman” pocket money saved. The “Easy Build Kit” which Sonex Ltd. multitool is the only tool required to get the cowl off and now offers, wasn’t available back then. They chose to on. Handy, since many pilots carry one of these on their not wait for it to hit the market, preferring instead to get belts anyway. On the day that we met Eric and Jennifer started right away once they decided to build this aircraft. for photos, Eric opted to remove only half the cowl.
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